Portable and foldable bath-tub.



N. F. & S. F. BONIFACE.

PORTABLE AND FOLDABLB BATH TUB.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1913.

Patented May 12, 1914.

INVENTORS NONNA FERNER BONIFACE SYMONA FERNER BONIFACE A TTOR/VE Y 8 I is represented in the accompanying drawwith legs D fulcrumed at their upper ends UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NONNA FERNER BONIFACE AND SYMONA FERNER BONIFACE. OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PORTABLE AND FOLDABLE BATH-TUB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Application filed May 2, 1913. Serial No. 765,065.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, NONNA FERNER BONIFACE and SYMONA FERNER Bomraon, both citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Portable and Foldable Bath-Tub, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved portable and foldable bath tub, more especially designed for bathing babies and arranged to insure the utmost comfort to the baby while being bathed, to permit the attendant to conveniently fill and empty the tub with water or other bathing liquid, to allow of turning the tub around to facilitate the washing of the baby, and to permit of readily folding the bath tub to form a small bundle for storing or shipping purposes.

In order to accomplish the desired result use is made of a stand provided with a head, a series of arms extending upwardly and outwardly from the said head, an annular frame removably held on the said arms, and a bathing receptacle of rubber or other waterproof flexible fabric held on the said frame and freely suspended within the space defined by the said arms.

A practical embodiment of the invention ings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the portable and foldable bath tub in extended position, part of the edge of the bathing receptacle being broken out to show the fastening devices for fastening the edge of the bathing receptacle to the annular frame; Fig. 2 is a cross section of the portable and foldable bath tub; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the annular frame in folded position; Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section of a portion of the annular frame and its connection with the upper end of one of the supporting arms; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the stand and the supporting arms in folded position. The bath tub is preferably mounted on a foldable stand A provided with a central hollow post B, on the lower end of which are pivoted radial links C pivotally conneotecl on a collar 1*) slidably engaging the post B to hold the legs I) either in extended position, as shown in Fig. l, or in folded posi' tion, as illustrated in Fig. The collar E is provided with a set screw E adapted to engage the post B so as to lock the collar A in position at the time the legs I) are extended or folded. In the upper end of the post B slides an extension rod B adapted to be fastened in place on the post B by a set screw F screwing in the upper end of the post B against the extension rod B so that the latter can be raised or lowered and fastened in the adjusted position. 011 the upper end of the extension rod B of the post B is mounted to turn the neck G of a head Gr, preferably in the form of a star, and to the outer ends of the arms or points of the said head G are pivoted supporting arms 11 adapted to extend upward and outward for supporting at their upper ends an annular frame I carrying the bathing receptacle J, of rubber or other suitable flexible waterproof material. A set screw G is used to fasten the neck G in place on the rod B whenever it is desired to prevent rotating of the bathing receptacle.

The annular frame I is provided at its bottom with a series of pins I adapted to engage seats or sockets I-I formed in the upper ends of the rods H so that when the annular frame I is positioned on the supporting arms H then the latter are held in their upright position and support the an nular frame I. When the annular frame I is removed from the supporting arms II, the latter can be readily swung downward into folded position, as shown in Fig. 5. The annular frame I is preferably made in two parts connected with each other by hinges I so as to permit of folding one section on top of the other, as plainly indicated in Fig. 3, to allow ready storing of the frame at the time the stand and its parts are in folded position. The upper edge of the bathing receptacle J is lapped around the annular frame I and the lapped portions are fastened together below the frame I by fastening devices K, such as ordinary split pins with the ends clenched (see Figs. 1 and 2).

The bathing receptacle A is preferably provided along its edge with an ornamental border, preferably made in sections L, straddling the edge of the receptacle J and fastened thereto at the outside and inside by suitable fastening devices L, such as seetional buttons or the like. The bottom of the receptacle J is preferably provided with a draw-off faucet N terminating in a short rubber hose N to permit of emptying the bathing receptacle J of the wash water whenever it is desired to do so. The annular frame is provided with a short chain 0 and ring 0 for conveniently hanging up the frame I and receptacle J for drying purposes after the tub has been used.

It will be noticed that by the arrangement described the bathing receptacle J is firmly supported on the arms H and it is suspended within the space defined by the arms H so that the baby when placed in the re ceptacle J rests comfortably in the receptacle without danger of coming in contact with any one of the arms H or the head Gr.

By making the extension rod B adjustable in the post B the bathing receptacle can be raised or lowered to suit the convenience of the attendant, and it can be conveniently turned to give the attendant access to all sides of the baby in the receptacle J at the time without the attendant changing the position relative to the bath tub.

In case the bathing receptacle J becomes torn or worn out it can be readily replaced by a new one. \Vhen the bath tub is not in use the annular frame I is lifted off the arms H to allow the latter to swing clownward into folded position and the frame I can now be readily folded together with the receptacle J, so as to take up comparatively little room for storing or shipping purposes. In a like manner the legs D can be folded as previously mentioned and as shown in Fig. 5, so that the stand together with the head G and its arms H form a small bundle for convenient storing and shipping purposes.

The portable and foldable bath tub shown and described is very simple and durable in construction and provides a safe means for giving a bath to a baby.

Having thus described our invention, we

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A baby bath tub, comprising a head, a series of supporting arms pivoted on the said head and adapted to extend upward and outward, the free ends of the arms having seats, an annular frame provided with depending pins removably engaging the said seats, a bathing receptacle of a flexible waterproof fabric and having its edge folded around the said frame, and fastening means for securing the edge of the bathing receptacle to the said annular frame.

2. A baby bath tub, comprising a head, a series of supporting arms pivoted on the said head and adapted to extend upward and outward, an annular frame made in sections hinged together to allow of folding one section onto the other, a pin and socket connection between each arm and the frame, a bathing receptacle of a flexible waterproof material and having its edge lapped around the said annular frame, and fastening devices for removably fastening the said edge of the said bathing receptacle to the said frame.

3. A. portable and foldable bath tub, comprising a foldable stand, a. rotatable and ver tically adjustable head on the stand, a se ries of arms pivoted to the head and adapted to extend upwardly and outwardly, the free ends of the arms being provided with sockets, an annular frame provided with pins engaging the sockets of the arms, and a bathing receptacle of flexible water-proof material secured to and suspended In the frame.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NONNA FERNER BONIFAOE. SYMONA FERNEE BONIFAGE.

W'itnesses' THEO. G. Hos'rnn, PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents, Washington, D. C. 

